IKEA to open new DC in Tacoma, store in Denver

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IKEA is set to open a new distribution center in Tacoma, Wash., next week, which eventually will serve the retailer’s big-box stores in the northwestern United States.

The 834,000-square-foot DC will open on Sept. 17, with a special grand opening celebration. Washington Governor Chris Gregoire will attend the event, which will include a “traditional Swedish log-sawing” and a flag raising ceremony.

Goods moving through the Port of Tacoma will be distributed through the center to stores in Draper, Utah; Renton, Wash.; and Portland, Ore.

The distribution center is set to employ around 125 people, according to the company. Eventually, the store will expand to 1 million square feet.

In related news, the Swedish home decor and furnishings giant IKEA said it plans a new store in Centennial, Colo., a suburb of Denver.

This would be IKEA’s first store in Colorado, expanding the retailer’s presence in the Rocky Mountain region, according to a statement from IKEA.